Not every Republican is embracing Wisconsin’s polarizing governor ahead of his historic recall election.

In Washington state, the presumptive GOP nominee for governor recently assured a local union that he’s “not Scott Walker,” according to audio provided to POLITICO by a Democratic strategist.

Rob McKenna, the two-term attorney general who is aiming to become the Evergreen State’s first Republican governor in more than 30 years, told a gathering of Puget Sound Carpenters last week that he’ll strive for a “positive relationship between labor and management,” even lamenting the agenda pursued by Walker.

“We need to have a good strong relationship between labor and management in this state,” McKenna said at the April 11 meeting, according to the audio that was secretly recorded. “Now unfortunately because of a couple of governors — particularly Scott Walker — everyone thinks that someone who’s going to be a Republican governor, they’re going to be Scott Walker. I’m not Scott Walker. This is not Wisconsin. This is Washington state.”

Yeah, after four years of being a non-disruptive poster on the forum, never considered a troublemaker, even someone who was liked well enough to be elected Atlasian President, Napoleon should be allowed to stay.

Well, he'll have to work with a Democratic legislature, so he couldn't implement Walker-style policies as Governor even if he tried.

Chis Christie did. Political patterns can change when a crisis happens... like when the state is a financial basket case. Tax hikes, bond rating downgrades, and cuts in services combine to awaken a few voters.

Scott Walker is perhaps the most honest and strait-forward office holder I've come across (and I'm a historian).

It was interesting how the people who didn't pay attention (to him for the 10 years he ran Milwaukee County) thought he wouldn't follow through on what he was saying in the campaign. I had to say countless times:

"Listen, you don't know him. I've been watching him for over a decade. When he says he is going to do something, he does it."

NOW, I hear this crap more often about how he didn't say the things (that he said) before he was elected. Lefty bias has this defect in that you can't believe it is popular to not be a lefty.

I completely agree. Honestly if Inslee doesn't get his campaign into high gear then I could see McKenna run away with the election (by which I mean about a 3-4 point victory).

I have to admit, the way McKenna is running his campaign makes me at least confidant that he could run the state well enough (even if I oppose him on most policy issues).

Its kind of unbelievable the Republicans have a reasonable shot to pick up the Washington State Governorship right now. I mean no Republican has been Governor of Washington State in 30 years. Considering how right-wing the national party is right now too..If the Republicans can put up somebody like McKenna in a consistent basis on a state to state basis they could go somehwere instead of recruiting the most right-wing candiate possible(i.e. idealogue.)

I thought Inslee is a perfect fit for the Washington State Governorship as well. Inslee could be the Scott McGinnis(R-CO) of this election cycle. Perfect fit for the governor's job on paper but doesn't win.

McKenna is a skilled politician, particularly at manipulating the media.

That said, there has yet to be any sort of coordinated assault on McKenna by the constituent organizations affiliated with the WA Democratic establishment. It will be interesting to see if his numbers hold up once this gets going.